Method of making track guides



Feb.4, 1947. J, M, LEAK; 2,415,212

METHOD OF'MAKING TRACK GUIDES Filed Jan. 26, 1945 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Fuel I 2 wi l/1100" IN VEN TOR.

Feb. 4, 194-7. :1, M, LEAK; 2,415,212

: METHOD GF MAKING TRACK GUIDES Filed Jan. 26, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllll III/II IN VEN TOR.

FIG. I0 I Patented Feb. 4, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT oFncE METHQD OF MAKING TRACK GUIDES James M. Leake, Monroe, Mich. Application January 26, 1943, Serial No. 474,035

3 Claims. 1

invention relates to methods of making track guides used on the track of crawler type vehi e suc s ater a tanks, c ors. nd many others, and more particularly to track guides formed from sheet or plate metal.

One of the objects of' this invention is to provide a, method of making a substantial light weight track guide so that it can be manufactured at low cost.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method of making a track guide that requires little machining.

Another object of my invention is to form a or plate drawn into shape.

Another object of my invention is to reduce the amount f Pre ious a loy m als waste in manuf ct r n trac uide b other t ds- A nothe'r object of my invention is to provide a .me hQdef mak n a k. ide hat s adaptd to u t t stagna ion.

Another object of my inv ntion is to, provide a method of making a track guide that requires a minimum of skilled labor in its manufacture.

These and other objects of the invention will be more clearly understood from the description in. the c fic ti n- The way the track guide is manufactured is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in hich: i

Fig. l is a plan of a blank from which the track guide is formed.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the blank shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the pressed blank with itscenter thickened or upset.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank with the side walls formed and partially folded upward.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the partially formed trackguide shown in Fig. 5 from the directionindicated by the arrows 66.

Fig, 7 is a top view of the track guide .after the side members are folded or pressed into a rti a t n.-

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the formed track guide shown in Fig. 7 looking inthe direction indicated bythe arrows 88.

Fig. 9 is a side view of the finished track guide.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of one side member of the track guide taken along line Hie-l0 of Fig. 9..

1 1 is a sectional view of the track. guide 1 9 1% i,n of fis-Fa track guide from a single piece of sheet metal Fig. 12 is a sectional View taken along line 12 -.12 of Fig. 6.

In a now preferred embodiment of the invention selected for illustration and description, a track guide is illustrated which, in its final form, may be desirably of substantially the general. shape shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. The track guide comprises a base portion adapted for removable attachment to a cross plate, and a pair of side members extending at substantially right angles to the base portion. In pursuance of the invention, the above track is made by drawing .or pressing a blank made of chrome-molybdenum high carbon steel while in a heated state, the temperature at no time exceeding 1650. degrees Fahrenheit. Higher temperatures destroy the structure of the chrome-molybdenum high car-. bon sheet steel. Heretofore, attemptsto draw or press this type of alloy of sheet or plate metal have failed.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that I first cut out or stamp out a blank of-sheet or plate metal of the shape indicated in Fig. 1'. This blank may be said to have a section] which is to form the base portion of the completed.

track guide and two substantially rectangular sections 2 which are to form the side, walls of the completed article. Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of the blank stamped or cut from sheet or plate metal.

The next stage comprises in heating the cen,-. tral or base portion I and then pushing the two. substantially rectangular sections 2 toward each other. This provides a base portion. l which is thicker than the rectangular portions 2. Fig. 3. is a plan view showing the blank at this stage. Fig. 4 is a sectional View of Fig. 3 showing how the base portion 1 has been thickened or upset.

The third operation or step is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, said operation consists of forming an offset 3 in each rectangular or wall section 2. A slight sloping indentation 4 i pressed in each wall section 2, which form bearing surfaces 8 in the completed track guide. In the same pressing operation the wall sections 2 are bent to form an obtuse angle with base portion I. At the same time the free edges 5 of the base portion l are bent downward as shown in the sectional view 12.

The blank, is now in condition for the fourth step or operation in which the rectangular or wall sections 2 are bent so they are substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the base portion or member I. The wall sections 2 are. now substantially parallel to; each other. The.

especially in the present war effort.

hole 6 is punched in the base section during this operation. In assembling, a bolt or other fastening means is inserted through the hole to bolt or fasten the track guide to the cross plate (not shown). Fig. 11 is a sectional view showing the base section I and the ribs 1. The combination of the base section I and the strengthening ribs also provide a channel into which the cross plate (not shown) fits when the track guide is assembled to the caterpillar track. The track guide now appears substantially as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

Next in order is the fifth step or operation whereby the substantially formed track guide shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is given a more exact size and shape than obtained in the fourth step. The upper and lower edges are subjected to pressure in a set of dies so that a predetermined height is obtained. The height of the track guide is decreased about T 1; of an inch in this operation. In the same dies and operation the ends of the track guide are subjected to pressure whereby fa predetermined length is obtained. The channel portion'of the base section I is also provided with a sharper angle and the side walls 2 are pressed into a more exact predetermined position. In this last step the dies provided are of.such a' nature that practically all surfaces of thetrack guide are pressed at'the same time. Consequently, the finished track guide is a very accurately formed piece of pressed sheet or plate metal which requires no machining. From the foregoing description it will be evident that by this novel process, provision has been made for making'rapidly and accurately from sheet metal a track guide with a thickened or upset base portion and side wall portions, which has all of the desirable characteristics embodied in a track guide made by the relative more expensive manufacturing process of forging which requires machining to produce a finished track guide.

The track guide is constructed from a chromemolybdenum steel with high carbon content, which'is an expensive and a very precious alloy My novel method of pressing a track guide from sheet metal saves 1% pounds of alloy metal for each average size track guide over the present forging method. In my novel process the track guide is completely finished in the stamping or pressing process, while in making the track guide from a forging, it is necessary to machine the inside of the recess shown in Fig. '11, and the hole 6 must be drilled. Considerably less skilled help is necessary to make my novel stamped or pressed track guide than is required to make the present forged unit. y 9 The dies used in making a track guide by my novel stamping process are much cheaper than the dies used for forging the track guide. Furthermore, the dies used in the stamping are much more durable than the forging dies. The temperature at which the alloy steel is pressed in my process is much lower than'that required by a forging process. The alloy steel must be pressed while. in a heated state, and at a temperature not exceeding 1650 degrees'Fahrenheit in order not to destroy the grain structure of the chromemodybdenum sheet steel. Furthermore the dies in my pressing method are only in contact with the" hot sheet metal for a few seconds for each operation, while in the forging method the much hotter metal contacts the diesfor a much longer time. .In the forging'p'rocess the grain of the p i' l r.

metal is lost, because the metal is raised to a much hotter temperature than the said 1650 degrees Fahrenheit.

My novel method of making a track guide also provides a faster method of production and also less fuel is required to heat the unit during the process of manufacture.

The track guide is fastened to a cross plate which is part of the track assembly for caterpillar tractors or tank and other crawler type of vehicles. When assembled the track guide are placed so that the narrow end of one track guide enters well into the wider end of the adjacent track guide. The slightly pressed-out portions 4 provide bearing surfaces 8. The pressed track guide may be hardened or heat treated as desired to increase its wearing qualities.

It will be apparent that variations from my novel process may be provided. For example, it can readily be seen that the blank shown in Fig. 1 could be stamped or pressed from a sheet of varying thickness similar to the cross section shown in Fig. 4. This would eliminate the sec: ond step or the upsetting process.

From the foregoing it will be noted that track guides of uniform weight, size and high quality can be produced with less waste, less labor and no machining and a lower cost by my novel method.

It is apparent that there are many other modifications of my invention, and it is my intention to cover all such modifications which do not in?- volve a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. The process of forming a track guide of the class described, from a chrome-molybdenum high carbon steel alloy sheet orplate which comprises heating the central portion of a shet metal blank of substantially H-shaped configuration to a temperature not exceeding 1650 degrees Fahrenheit, pressing the side portions of said H-shaped blank closer together while in a heated state whereby said central portion is thickened, bending said side portions upwardly at an obtuse angle to the plane of said central portion, bending the edges of said central portion downwardly at right angles to the plane of saidfcentral portion, bending each of said side portions along two transverse lines into substantially parallel portions lying in spaced planes, bendingsaid side portions at substantially right angles to "the plane of said center portion, piercing a holein said center portion and compacting the formed track guide to exact shape and size, all of' the above mentioned steps being conducted ,while' the metal is in a heated state and not exceeding 1650 degrees Fahrenheit thereby maintaining the grain structure of the alloy steel while per.-. forming the said above mentioned steps. a

2. The process of forming a track guide of the class described from a chrome-molybdenum high carbon alloy steel sheet or plate at a temperature not exceeding 1650 degrees Fahrenheit, which comprises stamping a blank of substantially H- shaped configuration from said alloy steel plate, bending the sides of said H-shaped blank at an obtuse angle to the plane of the central portion of said H-shaped blank, bending each of said sides into two parallel portions lyingin spaced planes making substantially thesame angle' with the plane of said central portion, forming a dished portion in each of said side members, bending the transverse edge of said rzentral por tion downwardly, piercing a hole in said central portion, and bending said side members upwardly at substantially right angles to the plane of said central portion, all of the above mentioned operations being performed while the alloy steel is heated to a temperature not exceeding 1650 degrees Fahrenheit, thereby retaining the grain structure of the steel alloy while performing said operations.

3. The method of forming a track guide of the class described from a single piece of chrome alloy high carbon strip steel while the temperature of the steel does not exceed 1650 degrees Fahrenheit, comprising the following steps: blanking an H-shaped member from said strip steel, bending the two side portions of said H- shaped member at an obtuse angle with the crossportion of said H-shaped member, pressing each of said portions into parallel portions, lying in spaced parallel planes and joined by an angular transverse portion, bending the transverse edges of said cross portion at substantially right angles thereto, forming an outwardly dished, portion in each of said side portions, bending said side portions in a plane substantially at right angles to said crossportion and piercing a hole in said crossportion, all of said steps performed at a metal temperature not exceeding 1650 degrees Fahrenheit, whereby the grain structure of said chrome alloy high carbon steel is retained. JAMES M. LEAKE.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,289,509 Michel Dec. 31, 1918 1,258,608 Turnbull Mar, 5, 1918 1,336,876 Wickersham' Apr. 13, 1920 1,705,802 Best Mar. 19, 1929 1,660,493 Proctor Feb. 28, 1923 2,064,956 Strong Dec. 22, 1936 2,330,196 Allen, et al Sept. 28, 1943 2,330,195 Allen, et al Sept. 28, 1943 940,749 'Sweet Nov. 23, 1909 1,731,514 Welcome Oct. 15, 1929 2,066,186 Mitchell Dec. 29, 1936 Re. 19,927 Johnson Apr. 14, 1936 2,330,786 Allan et a1 Sept. 28, 1943 2,037,415 Heaslet Apr. 14, 1936 

